"S.O.S. - Save Our Site!"
The Petition
We, the undersigned, support efforts by the well-known and respected Good Shepherds Alliance (GSA) to establish a simple Thrift Store and administrative office in Ashburn, which has been planned and discussed openly since early 2007.
It will not be a shelter. It is not open after 5pm. It is not a drop-in facility during the day. There will be no busing in of homeless and there will be no new bus route for this purpose. It is an entirely new, state-of-the-art facility being built to replace an area that previously located a roofing and building materials company for many years.
We are taking a stand in favor of honest dialogue, the facts, transparency and, above all, compassion and a Christian way.
We do so for these reasons:
-- Homelessness is an issue that exists throughout Loudoun County. It is real. It is here. And its growing;
-- Like hunger, it is not always visible--but we must always be vigilant about it, and we as a society must take on its burden and fight it no matter where it exists;
-- Addressing homelessness is a society-wide issue that transcends borders and politics, and speaks to the very heart of improving the human experience, and lifting the human spirit;
-- As Loudoun Countys population grows, so will the number of indigent and homelessness who need love, support, compassion, and help;
-- In 2006, the GSA served 351 needy men, women and children; in 1998, that number was 190; they provided almost 15,000 bed nights in 2006, compared to about 8,000 in 1998; and in 2006 the GSA provided over 36,000 meals to hungry families and children, compared to over 20,000 in 1998;
-- In 2006, the GSA had to turn back onto the streets a total of 536 people, including turning away 176 needy women and 183 destitute childrenÂ…and turnaways for both women and children have skyrocketed so far in 2007;
-- Given the GSAs 24-year track record of excellence and compassion, trust and responsibility, responsiveness and honesty, we know they will work with the County closely to maintain this site as a Thrift Store and administrative office, while the County works toward taking on the need of drop-ins elsewhere;
-- The GSA was recognized with the Daily Points of Light Award by The Points of Light Foundation for its loving work and efforts;
-- The GSA has a 92% success rate (latest quarter) of rehabilitating the homeless and transitioning them back into permanent housing and society at large;
-- Ashburn offers the GSA a location of affordability and access for purposes of administrative headquarters and a thrift store to raise sorely needed funds to care for indigent Loudoun women and families;
-- The GSAs Center of Hope is also a center for potential, where emergency help can be given to local residents who lose their home in a fire or flood, for example - or for a new law enforcement sub-station for police patrolling at night;
-- There is absolutely no proof, data, or facts that support the baseless claim that a simple Thrift Store and administrative office for the GSA will in any way affect quality of life, or property values, or safety in Ashburn...none whatsoever;
-- The GSA has met with many stakeholders who have a voice in this process: local HOAs, local pastors, community citizens, the Board of Supervisors (including Lori Waters), and County government staff;
-- Lastly, the GSA...since last spring...has been completely open and transparent during the process of establishing this site: securing a public easement from Ashburn Village, filing for all proper permits and zoning requirements from the County; applying for and receiving all property site plan approvals from the County, and more (not to mention generating voluminous local media coverage as of June 2007).
For these reasons and more, we are taking a stand to allow faith and healing, hope and compassion, into our community through the simple presence of a Thrift Store and badly needed administrative office space for a worthy cause and a wonderful non-profit organization serving the needy. Remember, homelessness touches all of our lives.
We need your help and support. We urge you to lend you name (even anonymously) to this petition. Email it to all your friends and neighbors ASAP. And we ask for your kind presence in a show of support Thursday, Nov. 1st at 6:30pm at Ashburn Elementary School!
